American Idol alum Clay Aiken on
Thursday officially filed paperwork to run for Congress as a Democrat
in North Carolina.

The 35-year-old singer is looking to
unseat Rep. Renee Ellmers, a Republican who represents North
Carolina's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House.

Aiken turned in his paperwork at the
State Board of Election in Raleigh surrounded by friends, family and
supporters.

“I am comfortable with myself,”
Aiken told reporters. “I am comfortable with the campaign we're
running. I am positive that people are going to vote for the person
who they think will do the best job, who they think can win in
November.”

Aiken, who came out gay in 2008, five
years after his second-place Idol finish, on the cover of
People magazine, announced his congressional bid in a
YouTube.com video on February 5. In the 5-minute video, he said that
he does not believe his sexual orientation will be an issue.